Chick boxes and spacing cleats



March 21, 1961 w. J. B'osCHE, JR v 2,975,951

CHICK BOXES AND SPACING CLEATS Filed April 23. 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 21, 1961 w. J. BoscHE, JR 2,975,951

CHICK BoxEs AND SPACING CLEATS Filed April 23, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 F IG .4

iHv/@nays United States Patent y 2,975,951 CHICK Bornes AND sPAcING cLEATs Walwin J. Bosche, Jr., Highland, Ill., assignor to The Lawrence Paper Company, Lawrence, Kans., a corporation of Kansas Filed Apr. 23, 1958, Ser. No. 730,311

3 Claims. (Cl. 229-6) This invention relates to chick boxes, and more particularly to a spacing cleat adapted for convenient attachment to the top of the chick box, so that the boxes may be stacked with an air-space therebetween.

Customarily, chicks are shipped in paperboard containers which may have Ventilating openings in the sides and top cover. These boxes are usually supplied in a flat or collapsed condition and are adapted to be conveniently setup by the shipper. The provision of spacing cleats on the top cover is optional with the user. Accordingly, one of the objects of the invention is to provide a chick box lid die cut in such fashion as' to permit the attachment of a spacer cleat, but which die cutting does not leave excessively large openings, in the event that the spacer is not utilized. Other objects of the invention are to provide simple, inexpensive spacer cleats, which can be compactly stacked and conveniently installed by the user on the aforesaid box cover, such spacer cleats having considerable stacking strength.

These objectives are achieved by folding a strip of iiberboard along scores so as to form a closed polygonal loop, the strip being cut and scored so that the upper and lower margins of the resulting cleat lie in substantially parallel planes and so that the walls are inwardly convergent in the upward direction, thereby increasing the vertical strength and permitting a supply of cleats to be nested. The box cover is preferably die cut so that a triangular cleat has one wall extending diagonally across one corner to the sides thereof (so that the main portion of the sustained weight will be carried over the side walls of the container). The other two sides of the spacer cleat extend inwardly toward the center and are joined at a center fold.

The spacer cleat is attached to the cover by means of notched feet, which extend through openings' in the cover. In the disclosed embodiment, a notched foot depends from each of the two inwardly extending sides of the cleat. The cover is then provided with L-shaped openings, there being a relatively long portion of each opening extendingV parallel and inwardly of the aforesaid two sides of the spacer cleat, so as to admit the feet when the sides of the cleat are sprung inwardly, and there being a smaller recess or portion of the opening into which only the reduced section of a retaining foot is received when the sides of the cleat return to their normal positions. In addition, the third or outer side of the spacer member may be provided with a depending tongue, which seats within a slot formed in the cover to lock the cleat on the cover of the box.

Other features of the invention will be in part apparent from and in part pointed out in the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. l is an oblique view illustrating details of the cleat and chick box cover of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a paperboard strip from which the cleat is formed;

Fig. 3 is a perspective of the folded cleat;

Patented Mar. 21, 1961 Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the cover, before attaching a cleat;

Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the cover and cleat, illustrating a first step in the assembly thereof;

Fig. 6 is a View similar to that of Fig. 4 but showing the members in their assembled interlocked position;

Fig. 7 is a detailed section taken on the line 7 7 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is a section similar to Fig. 7, but taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 9 is a top plan of a complete box lid showing how a cleat may be attached at each of the four corners of the box.

Referring now to the drawings, it will be understood that the invention is applicable to chick boxes having a bottom wall, side walls and a cover panel. Fig. 1 illustrates a portion of the top cover, which may have an upper panel 1 and depending side anges 3. lt is generally desirable to attach several cleats to the topV of the box, so that the boxes may be stacked in spaced relationship to provide a Ventilating space therebetween. On the other hand, it is not always necessary to have spacer members or cleats. Accordingly, it is desirable to have a box that will accommodate such cleats, but if they are not used, the cover should not present excessively large openings through which a chick might extend its head. Another consideration is' that a cleat should have adequate strength yet not be unduly complex, costly, diflicult to attach, nor bulky in storage.

The present invention contemplates that the spacer cleats will be formed from strips 5 of solid fiberboard with depending feet adapted to be received through small openings in the top wall 1 of the box. The cleat 5 is formed from an elongate non-linear strip having a central score 7 from which extends two annular side-forming sections 9 and 11. Additional scores 13 and 15 are formed at the ends of side sections 9 and 11, respectively, and end portions 17 and 19 extend respectively from scores 13 and 1'5. The side sections 9 and 11 and the portions .17 and 19 are at different angles, and the scores are arranged so that when the member is folded, end flap portions 17 and 19 are brought into overlapping engagement to form a closed triangular loop with the side walls converging upwardly'and with their top and bottom margins 21 and 23 in parallel planes.

Preferably, the end portions 17 and 19 are adhesively secured in overlapping relationship by the box manufacturer although this is not essential. The converging condition of the cleat side walls has several advantages. Vertical strength is improved by the taper, and a plurality of such cleats may be internested in a compact p condition until ready for use.

In use, a spacer member is secured to a cover by retaining feet which depend from the lower margin 23. Side-forming sections 9 and 11 are formed with dove tail or notched feet 25 and 27, whose notches 29 vopen in the direction toward the fold 7. The third side wall, which is formed by the overlapped end portions 17 and 19, may also have a depending tongue 31.

Referring to Fig. 4, the top of the carton is formed with L-shaped openings, generally designated 33, each opening having an elongate part 35 of a length suiicient to admit one of the retaining feet 25 or 27. The elongate part 3S of the opening is disposed on the cover slightly inwardly of the normal position of cleat sides 9 and 11 so that the side must be sprung inwardly to admit the attaching feet. Being formed of solid berboard, the cleat walls are resiliently flexible. Each opening 33 is also formed with a relatively shorter recess 37, whose length is only sufcient to admit the reduced section 39 of a retaining foot opposite the notch 29, the other part of the foot underhanging part of the top panel. The

recess 37, when the pressureon the side walls is released, thereby locking the spacer on the cover (Figs. 5 and 6).

A-..th`ird slot "411. may be'providedv to accommodate the tongue 31 depending from the third wall of the cleat. As such, the cleats may be readilyl and firmly attached to the cover, and although inexpensive, are adequately strong.

From the foregoing description,V it is apparent that those-skilled inv the art will understand the structure, ftlnction and mode of operation of the invention herein dlsclosed, and appreciate the advantages thereof. Although one embodiment has been disclosed-'in detail, it isto be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, but the drawings and-description thereof are-to be understood as being merely illustrative.

VAFor example, the cleat. might befo'rmed from a strip cut andfolded.` so that the ends thereof meet atea corner, such as that formed. by fold- 7in the-illustrated: embodiment. It is realizedv thatV many modiications and variations. will present themselves toV those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of this invention or thevscope thereof as setl forth inthe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimedy and desired to be Secured by Letters Patent is:

l. The combination of a chick box havingl a top cover paneland a spacing cleat secured in upstanding relationship to said cover panel, said cleat being constitutedI by a strip of paperboard die cut and foldedwith ends secured together to provide a closed triangular loop WhoseVr side walls are convergent in the direction away from the cover panel, said secured ends being vin overlapping relation in one side of the cleat to provide aY double ply portion therein, the other two sides of the cleat being formed with notched feet depending along the lower margin thereof, said cover being formed with openings to receive said feet, each of-said `openings havinga relatively elongate part for admitting an Ventire foot and a relatively small recess for admitting only the reduced Portion of a foot opposite itsl notch, thereby to interlock with the; cleat, the sides of said cleat having lateral flexibility andl edgewise rigidity and said relatively elongate parts of the openings in the cover being displaced laterally inwardly from the normal positions of the sides of the cleat so that the sides of the cleat must beV sprung inwardly to insert Vthe feet through the cover, saidV relativelyv small recessesof the cover openings being aligned with the normal position of the side walls of the cleat to interlock with the retaining feet, and a depending double ply tongue on said one side of the cleat at the double ply portion thereof, said coverhavingan opening to receive said tongue when the notched feet vare in interlocking relationfonal-4 loop with at leastsome side portions of the loop being convergent with one another in a direction away from the cover panel so that a plurality of cleats internest with one another, said connected ends being in overlapping relation in one side of the cleat to provide a double ply portion thereof, opposite side portions of said cleat having. notched retaining feetk depending therefrom for interlocking cooperation with a chick box, saidl cover panel beingl forrrnelv with openings. through which said'` notched retaining1 feetl are received, saidl openings each having a relatively elongate part for admitting-theentire foot and being displaced inwardly from the normal position of the respective sides of the cleat so that the sides of the cleat must be.. sprungv inwardly in order to admit the retaining feet, each opening having a relatively small recess for interlocking with the reduced section of a retaining foot opposite a notch thereof and disposed so that the. said lreduced section springs inwardly into theI together in a triangular loop having connected side sections, a pair of, said side sections being; in angular relation and integrally joined at oneend by a fold; the third side section of' the triangular loop being end portions integrally jpined to the other ends of said respective side sections of' theV angular pair, said end portions being folded and securedY together in atleast partial overlapping relationship With one another with the overlap forming a doubleply portion'betvveen and spaced-from said other endsof the" angular pair yof side sections, upper and lower margins` of said sider sections ofthe loop being in substantially parallelplanes, said side sections being convergent With one another toward said upper margins thereby .permitting internesting of a plurality of such cleats prior tolattachment to a chick boxcover, notched feet depending` from the lower margins of twoside sections, and a double ply tongue depending from the lower margin of the third4 side section at vthe 'overlap of said end portions, said, depending feet and tongue being for interlocking'. cooperation with an apertured cover of a chick box.

References Cited in the le of patent UNITED STATES PATENTS;

1,428,223 Fairbanks Sept. 5, 19,22 1,480,681 Goes Jan. l5, 1924 1,644,894 Whifcomb ocr. 11, 1927 2,229,603 Schaefer-..- L. Q. Q Jan. 2l, 1941 2,299,812 Ferguson Oct. 27, 1,942 2,417,302 Hye 11, 1947 

